Sprinkler head



July 25, 1933. A. LoEPslNGER SPRINKLER HEAD Filed Jan. 22. 1932 Patented July 25, 1933 l UNITED STATES 'PATENT *OFF-ICB ALBERT LOErsiNGnB., or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, AssIGNOR 'ro GENERAL man. EXTINGUIsHna COMPANY,"- orv rnOvrDE-Non, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION or' i s DELAWARE automatic heads ofathe type employing fusi--V ble material asthe heat responsive element.

In practically all heads of the type underl consideration it is customary to providea system'ofqlevers or some form of linkage Y whereby the `holding power of the fusible material may be suHiciently multiplied to resistV the forces constantly tending to open the sprinkler. i In some heads these levers `or linkf ages project to one side Of the body andarein great danger of being dislodged Yor injured by objects passing fnear them. To avoid `this .danger it has long been recognized as a' material advantage tofsfplace the strut 'members .as near to the axisof the sprinkler Aas possible. *f This arrangement,`however, has resulted in thefusible'material itself being somewhat shielded bythe body 'of the sprinkler from* 'thezcurrentsa of heatedf air rising from .a fire.

,"It is amongv the objects of the present in-y lvention tO retain all the advantages of thel centrallylocated strut and yet provideH4 for the prompt response of the fusible materialwhen a fire occurs in the vicinity of` the head. This isv accomplished by providing heat Vgathering andheatfconducting arms on one or more of the strut members and so ,arrang `ing them that they extend outside thebody l of the *strut yin. favorable position to be `bathed bythe passingeurrents of heated air. yWith these arms positioned on a strut memberwhichis primarily held in place by compressive forces, the danger of dislodgment or'injury' is-negli'gible even when the larms "receive a rather severe blow.,V n M 'l -1 In the accompanying drawing 'is` shown the preferred embodiment of -my invention but this is merely illustrative and the Vpatent .is intended to cover 'by suitable expressionin the appended j claimsV whatever features of patentable novelty exiist in the invention disclosed. 'y

In the drawing: p n

'Figure 1 is an elevation ofa sprinkler einbodyi-ng my invention;

Figure 2is'anelevation in section as on line 2-2 of Figure 1 and fis between the bars is directly over the valve and nozzle and -is appreciably shielded by SPBINKLER HEAD Appiieammy mea iannasry 22,19'32. serialv Nq. 588,092.-

Referring more particularly tothe drawing y thev sprinkler body or frame `has a lnozzle 4l,

exteriorly threaded for engagement with a supplyN line -carrying fluid n under pressure, and ayokewhich extends upward from the nozzle and 'carries a delector 3 The throat la of the nozzle is'normally closedv by a valvel 4 which is held on its. seat by -a ofthe yoke.,` l i i .i

The form, of strut here shown comprises a mainmember 5 and a lever -memberf6.

`The lower end of'the'main strut; member 5` rests in a depression llain the valve cape?)` f :While its upper end bears againstra short arm at itstop. strut interposed between itand the head 2a' i 6a of thelever member 6; y `This short arm 6a Y engages a depending n edge ,2b on the yoke head and thelong'arm 6b of the lever member it attached to the malin-member 5 by some fusible material- 7 suchas solder. f n A Y As seen clearly inl Figure 2 theentire strut, `thus far described, is' almost-On the center,-

vline of thesprinlsler.:` This',A is desirable be-175.

1causethe strut members Iare protectedby the 1 yoke 2 and to some extent by the deflector `3 and4 nozzle Il.` But the fusible material? that them from any heated Vair currents rising from below,"V Since thematerial` .must be fit is` impor-tant that thisvgtemperature `be brought to the .fusing temperature before the strut gives way and-permits the valve to' open, 85 "reached as promptly as possibleafter a ref i* Ahas started inthe-regionof the sprinkler.`

' Accordingly the improvedst'ruthere,disf Vclosed has heat gatheringor'heat conducting end inthe depression 4a of the .valve cap and its upper against` the shortarm 6 of the lever member, being thus subjected to'direct thrust, .s

and since both its ends are rather securely L engaged it is able'to withstand any consideri"V able blow vdelivered Onarms 8. l

the ,outstanding -106 arms 8 which extendsidewisefrom'the Vstrut 0 merely pointed and is curved in the opposite Y.

direction. Other arms Amight be provided on the other bar as suggested in dotted outline in Figures 2 and 3, but these arenot deemed necessary. I

As the heated air rises and passes the sprinkler it contacts with the `outstanding arms land fingers which rapidly and very effectively conduct theheat to the main vstrut member and thence to the fusible material.l

In consequence the latter-is quicklyVV brought to its fusible temperature allowing the lever member 6 to separate from the main member 5.' lVhen this occurs the nthrust imposed upon the strut membersboth by the resilient disk 40 of the valve and the pressure of the fluid inthe supply line,causes the strut member to be violently vdislodged and thrown vclear of the sprinkler. The valve is proj ectedr from its seat 'and the sprinkler thus opened for discharge.y

I claim: Y l. Anautomatic sprinkler havingla hollow stem' and a yoke; a valve adapted when seated to close the hollow of said stem; and a strut interposed between said valve and yoke for holding said valve seated lcomprising fusible material located above said stem so as to be shielded thereby fromrising heat currents rand*heatconducting arms ,extend-A ing beyond the confines of-said stem and` yoke in position to gather heat from said currents whereby said heat may be'V imposedV upon said fusible material. Y

' Q. An automatic sprinkler havinga stem with a passage therethrough; a yoke.; a valve for closing saidpa'ssage when seated; anda strut'interposed between saidvalve and saidk yoke vand substantially in alignment with said passage; said strut having a member resting on the valve, another member'resting on the yoke and fusible material normally binding said members together; one of said members having heat conducting arms eX-,A

tendingi sidewisetherefrom injposition to gather heat and effect its transfer to the fusible materiaL Y 3. An automatic 'sprinkler having al strut for holding` the sprinkler closed comprising fusible material located substantially at the axis ofthe sprinkler and heat conducting varms extending to one sideof said axis for gathering heat and eifectingits conduction to said material. y d o 4.' An automatic sprinkler having a strut for holding the sprinkler closed comprising conduct it to said fusible material;

fusible material located substantially at the axis of the sprinkler vand heat conducting arms extending to one side of said axis for gatheringheat and effecting its conduction to said material; said arms having portions in staggered relation. y L

5. An automatic sprinkler havinga strut for holding the sprinkler closed comprising fusible material located substantially at the axis of the sprinkler and heat conducting arms extending toone side of saidv axis for gathering heat and effecting its conduction to said material; said arms having portions variously bent.

6. An automatic sprinkler having a strut for holding th'elsprinkler closed comprising fusible material located substantially 'at the axis of the sprinklerl and heat conducting arms extending to one ysideof said axis for gathering heat and effecting its conduction to said material, said arms having a serrated ede.

VAn automatic sprinkler having 4a strut for holding the sprinkler closed comprising fusible material located close by the axis of the sprinkler; and heat collecting means conduetively connected :to 4said fusiblematerial and extending to one side of said axisbeing arranged and constructed to gather heatand h `A r8.".An automatic sprinkler having a stem with passage therethrough; ay yokega valve for closingsaid passage when seated; a strut interposed between the valve and'yoke 'com prising a member resting on the valve and a member resting' on 'the-yoke; means connecting said members comprising fusible ma- -terial located with respectto said stem to be `shielded thereby from passing heat currents;

andv heat gathering means arranged to lie-'105 bathed by -saidcurrents and capable i of con ducting heat to said fusible material". Y T9. An automaticsprinkler havingmeans for holdingv the sprinkler closed comprising fusible material located so as to bev shielded frompassing heat currents; and heat gathery'ing means arranged to' extend into said'. currents and getv heatl therefrom Ythat would otherwise not affect the fusible materia-land.

jconduct said gathered lheatto ther fusible h5 material. Y Y

10. yAn automatic sprinkler having a stern with passage therethrough; a yoke; a valve for closing said passage when seated; a strut interposed between the valve and yoke comprising fusible material located with respect to said stem so asto be shielded thereby from rising heat currents; and heat v'collecting means conductively connected with said fusi. ble material and extending withrrespect to said stem to a position whereat the said collecting meansvgathers Vheat from sai'dcur-` rents and eects its transfer to said material.,

ALBERT LOEPSIlSlGrER.v p 

